Ski tow



`Ixune 7, 1955 EQR. BoYNToN Er AL SKI TOW 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Jan.2o, 195ol OMNII. Il

June 7, 1955 E. R. BoYNToN l-:T-Al. 2,709,966

sx1 Tow Filed Jan. 20, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 7, 1955 E. R. BoYNToNEr Al. 2,709,966

sx1 Tow Filed Jan. 2o, 195o l Y '5 sheets-sheet s IN V EN T0125, jfra/ff 77. z@ 22.94

wIlL/w77 T dar El M'EL;

June 7, 1955 E. R. BoYNToN ET AL 2,709,966

SKI TOW Filed Jan. 2o, 1'950 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 E 1 M m w? 5 l. y

June 7, 1955 EQR. BoYN'roN E-r/AL 2,709,956

sx1 T ow v Filed Jan. 20, 1950 l5 Sheets-Sheet 5 M y El-Q45 UnitedStates Patent O SKI TW Erwin R. Boynton, Schenectady, and William T.Rauch, Voorheesville, N. Y., assignors to Ski Land Equipment gompany,East Eeme, N. Y., a corporation of New ork Application January 20, 1950,Serial No. 139,546

33 Claims. (Cl. 11M-173) The present invention relates to an improvedski tow. It is an object of the invention to provide an irnproved skitow in which the main rope may be supported at a plurality of pointsalong the course that skiers are to be moved by the tow, and in whichthe leads by which the skiers are pulled are detachably connected to themain rope and movable past the points at which the main rope issupported, while they are connected to the latter.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved ski towof the above mentioned type including improved means for automaticallydetaching the leads from the main rope.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved lead for a skitow of the above mentioned type p which includes a lead connectorreadily attachable to and detachable from the main rope. l It is also anobject of the invention to provide such a lead connector whicheffectively grips the rope to prevent slipping of the connector alongthe rope when a load is applied to the lead, and which, when there is noload on the lead grips the rope sufliciently to cause the lead to becarried with the rope but which at the same time permits the rope torotate about its longitudinal axis in the manner common in such drivenropes. Another object of the invention is to provide a lead of the abovementioned type including a lead connector attachable to and detachablefrom the main rope and an arm pivotally connected to the lead connectorso that any pull applied to the free end of the arm by a skier, eitherat right angles to the main rope, back along the rope, or at any anglein between, will result in a gripping of the rope by the lead connector.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an improved hangar foruse in a ski tow of the above .men-

tioned type adapted to support the rope and permit lead connectors to becarried through the hangar by the rope. Y

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved hangar for aski tow of the above mentioned type, the use of which permits the courseof the main rope to be changed at the hangar, in a vertical plane.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an improvedski towVhangar which permits the course of the main rope to be changed in aninclined plane, thereby permitting the main rope to turn through ahorizontal angle as well as through a vertical angle.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for takingup the slack that normally develops in the main rope of a ski tow duringuse thereof, when the main rope is of a manila hemp type construction.

A further object of the invention is to provide irnproved means formaintaining the desired tension in the main rope of a ski tow.

It is also an important object of the present invention to provide animproved ski tow which is relatively inexpensive to install and which isparticularly adapted 2,709,956 Patented June 7, 1955 ice for use onirregular terrain requiring the course of the tow to be changed throughboth vertical and horizontal angles.

Other and more detailed objects of the invention will become apparentfrom a consideration of the following specification, the appendedclaims, and the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a broken and somewhat diagrammatic elevational view of a skitow embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a broken enlarged elevational view of a portion of thestructure illustrated in Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view partially in section taken from the line 3-3 ofFig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a greatly enlarged broken elevational View of` that portion ofthe structure of Figure 1 indicated by the circle 4;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the structure illustrated in Figure 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional View of the structure illustrated in Figure 4,taken substantially along the line 6-6 thereof;

Fig. 7 is a greatly enlarged elevational view of that portion of thestructure of Figure 1 indicated by the circle 7;

Fig 8 is a greatly enlarged elevational view of that portion of thestructure of Figure 1 indicated by the circle 8;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the structure illustrated in Figure 8;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged elevational view of a portion of the structureillustrated in Figure l, looking in the direction indicated by the arrow10 therein;

Fig. 1l is an enlarged plan View of a portion of the structureillustrated in Figure l, looking in the direction indicated by the arrow11 therein;

Fig. 12 is a broken and greatly enlarged elevational View of thatportion of the structure illustrated in Figure 1, indicated by thecircle 12;

Fig. 13 is a broken plan view of the structure illustrated in Figure 12,looking in the direction indicated by the arrow 13-13 therein;

Fig. 14 is a broken sectional view of the structure illustrated inFigure 5, taken substantially along the line 14--14 thereof and showingin full lines, a lead connector of the construction illustrated inFigures 12 and 13 passing through the hangar illustrated in Figures 4, 5and 6, with the lead connector in the loaded position, and showing inbroken lines, the position of the lead connector of an empty lead as itengages the hangar guide arm; Y

Fig. 15 is a greatly enlarged broken sectional view of the structureillustrated in Figure 2, taken substantially along the line 15-15thereof;

Fig. 16 is a broken elevational view of the structure illustrated inFigure l5, looking in the direction indicated by the arrow 16 therein;

Fig. 17 is a broken bottom view of the structure illustrated in Figure15, looking Vinthe direction indicated by the arrow 17 therein;

Fig. 18 is a somewhat diagrammatic perspective view illustrating thecourse of the rope through the drive mechanism illustrated in Figures 1and 2; and

Fig. 19 is a perspective View of the structure illustrated in Figure l,looking in the direction indicated by the l arrow 19 therein.

It will be readily appreciated from a complete understanding of thepresent invention that the improvements thereof may be readily embodiedin ski tows of widely differing-types and sizes and adapted for use onslopes of greatly differing contours. In an illustrative, but not in alimiting sense, the present invention is herein illusaroused trated anddescribed as embodied in a tow extending over a lower hat section, asteeply inclined intermediate section and a generally at upper section(see Fig. 1) and in which the tow turns through a horizontal angle (seeFig. 9).

Referring to the drawings, the ski tow illustrated and described hereingenerally comprises a continuous closed main rope 2t) supported at aplurality of stations 22, 24, 26, 23, 30, 32, 34 and 56 on hangars, ashereinafter described. The rope 2G is driven by a drive and take-upmechanism generally indicated at 3S and carries leads 40 detachablysecured thereto by connectors adapted to be carried through the hangarsby the rope 20. The rope 2i) passes through a tower 42 in which theleads 40 are attached to the outgoing course of the rope and areautomatically removed from the return course of the rope 20 by atake-off mechanism generally indicated at 44.

In the embodiment illustrated, the main rope 20 is of conventionalconstruction of a manila hemp material and of a size sufficient tosafely withstand the loads to be imposed thereon. The use of a rope 20of this construction is very important in the provision of a ski towwhich is relatively inexpensive to install and it is an importantfeature of the present invention that it makes possible The hangar 46comprises a frame 50 which is in the form of an inverted J, as bestillustrated in Fig. 6 and is of channel shaped cross section. An upperwheel 52 is rotatably mounted on an upper shaft 54 supported at itsopposite ends in shaft collars 56 welded to the frame 50 and fixedagainst axial movement by set screws 58 carried in the collars 56. Atits lower end the frame 50 has an oppositely facing channel section 60welded with its flanges abutting the flanges of the frame 50. The webportions of the frame 56 and the channel section 60 carry spaced alignedshaft collars 62 welded thereto which provide a cantilever support for alower shaft 64 held against axial movement by a set screw 66 in theouter shaft collar 62. A second wheel 68 is rotatably mounted on theshaft 66 and disposed in the plane of the wheel 52.

The radially outer peripheral portions of the wheels 52 and 68 areformed of an annularly shaped suitably resilient material such as rubber70 and have annular mating grooves 72 formed in the radially outersurfaces thereof adapted to co-operate to receive said rope 2t) thereinand provide a limited lateral support therefor. The wheels 52 and 68 andthe frame Sil are so proportioned that the wheels 52 and 68 aresubstantially tangent, as best illustrated lin Figures 4 and 6.

As is readily seen in Figure 5, the rope 20 turns through a horizontalangle as it passes through the hangar 46. To prevent the tension in therope 20 from causing it to be pulled laterally from the grooves 72,because of this horizontal angle through which the rope turns, lateralsupport for the rope 2t) is provided by a second pair of wheels 74 and76, which are rotatably mounted on parallel shafts 78 and 80 xedlysupported in bars 82 and 84 carried by the frame 50. The shafts 7 8 and8i) are spaced on opposite sides of the plane of the parallel shafts 54and 64 and the wheels 74 and 76 are so proportioned that when the rope2G is tangent to these wheels `and received in the grooves S6 in theouter surfaces thereof, it is properly aligned in the grooves 70 of thewheels S2 and 68. Lateral support for the hangar frame 50 is provided bya brace 87 abutting the bars 82 and 84 intermediate the wheels 74 and 76and fixed at its other end to the station 22 in any suitable manner (notshown).

A small plate SS is secured to the unsupported end of the shaft 64 andcarries a guide arm 90 which extends generally parallel to the rope 20.The left hand end of the guide arm as viewed in Figure 4, is at the sideof the hangar 46 at which the rope 20 moves toward the hangar, and iscurved under the rope as indicated at 92 and twisted as illustrated inFigures 4 and 5 so that the lower edge of the arm 46 is closer to theframe Si) than the upper edge. The opposite end of the guide arm 99, atthe side of the hangar at which the rope leaves the hangar, is curvedtoward the rope 2t) to a lesser extent, as indicated at 94. Thefunctioning of the guide arm will be described at a later point in thespecification.

The outgoing course of the rope 20 is supported at station 24 by thehangar 96 illustrated in Figure 7. This hangar 96 is in all respectsidentical with the above described hangar 46 illustrated in Figures 4, 5and 6 with the exception that it does not include the wheels 74 and 76or the bars S2 and 84 and shafts 78 and 80 upon which they are carried.Also, since there is no lateral load on the hangar 96, no bracecorresponding to the brace 87 is required. Hangars of this constructionare used at all points on both the outgoing and return courses of therope where there is no lateral load on the hangar. ln the ski towillustrated in Figure l, hangars 96 of the construction illustrated inFigure 7 are used to support the outgoing course of the rope at stations24, 26, 28, 30 and 32 and to support the return course of the rope atstations 22 to 34 inclusive. lt will be appreciated, of course, that thehangars 96 are adapted to provide a force acting either upwardly ordownwardly on the rope 20 as required to maintain it in the properposition.

At station 34 the rope 2i) turns through a horizontal angle which isbest seen in Figure 9 and also turns through a vertical angle asillustrated in Figure 8. Also, leads 40 on the outgoing course of therope 20 at station 34 are normally fully loaded. This load on the leads49 may cause some vertical movement of the rope 20. To take care ofthese conditions, a hangar 98 is provided at station 34 which differsfrom the above described hangar 46 illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6, inthat the wheels 74 and 76 are replaced by cylindrical rollers 109 and102 having substantial axial extents and adapted to provide lateralsupport for the rope 20 throughout the limits of its vertical movement.

The hangar at station 34 for the return course of the rope 2i) isillustrated in Figure 19. As stated above, one of the hangars 96 isused. T o avoid lateral loading of the `hangar 6, it is supported on thestation 34, as illustrated in Figure 19, by a brace N4 so that thewheels of the hangar are disposed in the plane defined by the rope 20 asit enters and leaves the hangar. A guide bar m6 is connectedintermediate its ends to the hangark plate 8S on the end of the lowershaft 64 and has its opposite ends supported on the station 34 by bracesw8 and 1li).

At the end station 36, the rope 2t) passes around a large wheel 112supported on the station 36 for rotation about a vertical axis. Agenerally semcircular guard M4 having outwardly turned ends U6, issupported on the station 36 in coaxial relation with the wheel H2 andspaced below and radially outwardly thereof. The guard H4 functions ashereinafter described to prevent excessive swinging of the leads 49 asthey travel around the wheel 112.

Referring to Figures l2, 13 and 14, the leads 4t) include a leadconnector body 116 spaced laterally of the rope 20 and having spacedparallel fingers M8 and l2tl'fwhicl1 project laterally from the body 116and have oppositely facing arcuately shaped end portions l2?, and A24adapted to engage the rope 2i? at its upper and lower sidesrespectively, at points spaced axially therealong. A guard is connectedat one end to the finger 113 adjacent the rope engaging portion 122 andextends across the top of, and is secured to, the linger l2@ adjacentthe rope engaging portion 124 thereof. This guard prevents lthe rope 2@from moving out of the portions 22 and 24 and along the fingers towardthe connector body H6.

The leads 4t) also include a lead connector arm pivotally connected tothe body M6 by a pin 126' for pivotal movement about an axis parallel tothe fingers 118 and 120 and spaced therefrom in the direction of themovement of the rope and spaced from the plane defined by the fingers sothat any load applied to the free end of the arm by a skier grasping thelead 40, will tend to turn the body 116 to effect a gripping of the rope20 by the fingers 118 and 120. The spacing of the lingers 118 and 120 issuch that when the body 116 is turned in the opposite direction, or in acounterclockwise direction from the position illustrated in Figure 12,the fingers 118 and 120 are moved clear of the rope 20. When the body116 is in this position relative to the rope 20, the lead may be freelymoved transversely of the rope to remove it from the rope.

The arm 126 is so curved that its free end is substantially in a planeperpendicular to the fingers 118 and 120 and including the axis of therope. it will be appreciated that by virtue of this construction, a loadsuch as that normally applied to the free end of the arm 126 by a skiergrasping the lead 40, will result in pivoting the connector body 116about the rope 20 to the position illustrated in full lines in Figure14, in which the fingers 118 and 120 are disposed horizontally.

A lead rope 129 is connected to the free end of the arm 126 and carriesa handle 130 adapted to be readily grasped by a skier to be moved up thetow. Suitable resilient means, such for example as the rubber 132, maybe provided for greatly shortening the over-all length of the lead whenit is unloaded.

The leads 4t) are also provided with resilient means for urging the arm126 toward the full line position illustrated in Figure l2, with theresult that when there is no load on the lead, it assumes this full lineposition which slightly increases the grip of the rope by the lingers118 and 120. In the construction illustrated, this resilient means isthe rubber 134, one end of which is anchored under the linger 118 andthe other end of which is secured to an eye 136 fixed in the arm 126.When the lead 40 is loaded, the arm 126 assumes the position illustratedin broken lines in Figure l2 and the lead rope 129 is extended as thereindicated.

The connector body 116 also carries means co-operable with the earliermentioned automatic take-off mechanism 44 mounted in the tower 42. Thismeans comprises a ball 138 fixed on the upper end of a rod 140 securedto the leading edge of the connector body 116, or right hand edgethereof as viewed in Figure l2. The rod 140 extends forwardly, or to theright as there viewed, and upwardly, at an angle of approximately Thetake-oil mechanism 44 comprises a tube 142 rigidly supported within thetower 42 in spaced relation to a side wall thereof, on a pair ofbrackets 144 and 146. The tube 142 is of an internal diameter adapted toslidably receive the ball 138 and extends generally along and in spacedrelation above the rope 20. The left hand end, as viewed in Figure 16,opens toward the balls 138 mounted on the lead connector bodies V116 andis disposed in their path of movement as they are carried t hrough thetower 42` on the return course of the rope 20. The left hand end of thetube 142 is outwardly flared as indicated at 148 to facilitate movementof the balls 138 into the tube 142 and the latter has a slot 150 (seeFig. 17) extending along its underside through which the rod 140 extendswhen the ball 138 is disposed with the tube 142. rIlhe rope 20 issupported directly below lthe flared end 148 of the tube 142 on a pulleywheel 152 similar in construction to the wheels S2 and 68 and rotatablymounted on a horizontal shaft 154 supported on the tower 42 by a bracket155. A horizontally extending guide strap 156 is secured to the outerend of the shaft 154 and is curved under the rope 20 at the side of theWheel toward which the leads are carried as they move along on the rope213. The guide strap 156 engages ,the arm 126 of each lead 40 and pivotsthe connector b ody 116 about the rope 20 to a position in which thefingers 118 and 120 extend substantially horizontally and the ball 138is disposed to enter the flared end 148 of the take-off tube 142. Beyondthe wheel 152 the rope 20 slopes downwardly, as shown in Figure 16, andthe tube 142 turns upwardly away from the rope 20. As the ball 138 movesalong the tube 142, it will thus be seen that it lifts the leading edgeof the connector and turns the connector body 116 in a counterclockwisedirection which, as described above, disengages the fingers 118 and 120from the rope 20. Beyond the point at which the lingers are disengagedand the connector is supported in the tube 142 on the ball 138, the tube142 turns laterally away from the rope and downwardly so that continuedmovement of the ball along the tube results in the connector moving awayfrom the rope and sliding down out the right end of the take-off tube142, as viewed in Figure 16. The momentum of the lead 40, as it movesalong with the rope, is such that it carries the ball 138 through thetube 142 even though the fingers 118 and 120 become disengaged soonafter the ball 138 enters the tube 142. As a safety precaution, a safetyswitch (not shown) may be disposed so as to be opened to stop the drivemechanism 38, by any lead which may get past the take-off mechanism.

Referring now to Figures l, 2, 3 and 18, the drive and take-up mechanism38 is disposed behind the tower 42 or to the lift thereof as seen inthese figures. The rope 20 is driven by a multiple groove wheel 160mounted on a main frame 161 and driven by an engine 162 also mounted onthe frame 161. An idler wheel 164 is disposed adjacent the drive wheeland the rope 20 passes over the wheels 160 and 164 as shown to providean effective driving engagement of the drive wheel 160 with the rope.The axis of the wheel 164 is slightly inclined relative to the axis ofthe wheel 160 so that as the rope comes from one of the grooves of thewheel 160 and passes around the wheel 164, it is aligned with theadjacent one of the grooves on the wheel 160.

The return line of the rope 20 runs from the wheel 152 in the tower 42to an idler wheel 166 rotatably supported on a station 168 adjacent thetower from which it runs directly to the idler wheel 164. An auxiliaryframe 170 is pivotally mounted on the main frame 161 and is movedrelative thereto by a conventional hydraulic cylinder and pump assembly(not shown), the pump of which is driven by the engine 162. From thedriving Wheel 168, after making two and one-half turns about the wheels160 and 164, the outgoing rope runs to a take-up wheel 172 rotatablymounted on the auxiliary frame 170 from which it is trained over asecond take-up wheel 174 rotatably mounted on the station 168. From thewheel 174 the rope passes again around the wheel 172 and back over thewheel 174 from which it runs down around a wheel 176 rotatably mountedon a floating Weight 178 from which it runs up over an idler wheel 180rotatably supported on the :station 168 and thence around another idlerwheel 182 rotatably supported on the tower 4 2. From the wheel 182 therope runs through the tower 42, where the leads 40 are manuallyconnected to the rope, and out to the hangar 46 at the station 22.

In the above described construction, the magnitude of the floatingweight 178 may be adjusted to provide and maintain the desired tensionin the rope 20. The gradual elongation of the rope 20, which takesplaceduring the-- use of the rope 2t), results in the weight 178 floating atWhen the cumulation 'ofa lower and lower elevation. this elongationbecomes too great, it is offset by pivoting the auxiliary frame 170 to aposition such as that illustrated in broken lines in Figure 2 and thiselongation is taken up between the slack take-up wheels 172 and 174. 1twill be appreciated that the slack take-up and tension control may alsobe effected without the use of the floating weight 178 by automaticallymaintaining a desired hydraulic pressure in the cylinder controlling thepivotal position of the auxiliary frame 170, by suitable conveni tionalmeans which may include a reliet` valve or pressure responsive switch(not shown).

The operation of the above described ski tow is generally as follows.The engine 162 is started and the rope is driven in the directionindicated by the arrows in the drawings, through the driving mechanism38. The leads are connected to the rope 2G in the tower 42 by turningthe lead connector body 116 counterclockwise from the positionillustrated in Figure 12, through an angle of approximately spacedvertically above the finger 120. The connector is then moved toward therope 2t) until the guard bar 125 engages the rope. ln lthis position thefinger portion 122 is disposed above the rope and the iinger portion1245 is disposed below the rope. A pull on the arm 126 will now causethe connector body 116 to turn to the position shown in Figure l2 inwhich the rope 20 is gripped by the lingers 118 and 12), and the lead 4)is then carried from the tower on the outgoing course of the rope. As

the lead 40 approaches the hangar 46 at station 22, if it z" isunloaded, i. e., the handle 130 thereof has not been grasped by a skier,it will be supported in approximately the position illustrated in brokenlines in Figure 14. The arm then engages the guide arm El() on thehangar 46 and causes the connector body 116 to pivot about the rope 20to approximately the position illustrated in full lines in Figure 14.The fingers 118 and 12h are then disposed horizontally and may passbetween the adjacent surfaces of the Wheels 52 and 6d by virtue of theresilient tires 70 on these wheels. tioned that when empty leads 4t) arecarried along the outgoing course of the rope 20, in the positionillustrated in Figure 12, the handle is at an elevation at which it maybe readily grasped by a skier. The pull of the tow on the skiergradually increases as the angle between :i

the lead rope 129 and the main rope 2i? decreases, until it is sulicientto move the skier along at the speed of the rope 20. As indicated above,the construction of the lead connector is such that the loaded leadsautomaticallyI assume the proper position, illustrated in full lines ins.

Figure 14, for passage through the hangars.

The skier will be pulled along the course of the tow so long as he orshe continues to grasp the handle 13). When the end of the tow isreached, the skier releases the handle 13u and the lead di) travelsaround the wheel 1i?.` the arm 126 riding against the guard 114 toprevent excessive swinging of the lead 4h, and back along the returncourse of the rope 21E. ln passing the station 34 on the return courseoli` the rope 2Q, the arm 126 of the lead connector engages the guidebar 106 and as it moves f therealong it pivots the connector body 1.16upwardly to a position in which the fingers X18 and 1.2i! are substantially parallel to the shafts 54 and 64 of the hanger 94, so that thelead connector, as it passes between wheels 52 and 68, is in the sameposition relative to that hangar, which is supported in an inclinedposition by the brace 104, as it is relative to the other hangars whenpassing through them.

As the lead 4? moves into the tower 42 on the return course of the rope20, the arm 1.26 of the connector engages the guide strap 156 and pivotsthe empty connector body 116 into proper position so that the ball SScarried thereby moves into the flared end lll-S of the take-off tube142. As described above, the momentum of' the lead itl carries the ball13S through the tube 142 and automatically removes the lead 4i) from therope 2%.

It will now he appreciated that the improvements of the presentinvention make possible the installation of a long tow over irregularterrain, including both vertical and horizontal changes in the course ofthe tow, and at a relatively small expense. They also provide a tow inwhich the skier never comes in direct Contact with the main tow rope andin which the lead by which he is pulled is detachably connected to themain rope. As an example of what can be done in a tow embodying the inwhich the finger 11S is The leads ttl are so propor- E presentinvention, the inventors have constructed and are operating a tow givinga ride of about one quarter of a mile in length and lifting the skiersabout 300 feet.

While only one specilic embodiment of the invention has been illustratedand described in detail herein, it will be readily appreciated by thoseskilled in the art that numerous modifications and changes may be madewithout departing from the spirit of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A ski tow comprising a continuous main rope, a plurality of hangarelements for supporting said rope at spaced intervals along its courseand each including a pair of pulley wheels mounted for rotation aboutspaced parallel axes and substantially in rolling contact with eachother, said wheels having outer annular rubber portions having matingrope receiving grooves and providing lateral support for said rope,means for driving said rope, a plurality of leads including connectorelements spaced laterally ot said rope and including spaced tingersdisposed at right angles to said rope and operable to engage said ropeat opposite sides therof at points spaced therealong, said lingers beingmovable with said rope between said pulley wheels while operativelyengaging said rope, and said leads including portions adapted to beengaged by a skier to be moved up the tow.

2. A lead connector for a ski tow having a main rope supported at aplurality oi points along the course that skiers are to be moved by thetow, said connector comprising a body, a pair of spaced ngers on saidbody adapted to engage said rope at opposite sides thereof, and an armconnected to said body for pivotal movement about an axis so spaced fromsaid fingers that a load applied to the free end of said arm produces acouple urging said lingers in a direction to grip said rope.

3. A lead connector as defined in claim 2, wherein said fingers and saidaxis are all substantially parallel.

4. A lead connector as defined in claim 2, wherein said lingers aresubstantially parallel to each other and perpendicular to said rope.

5. A lead connector as dened in claim 2, wherein said ngers aresubstantially parallel to each other and perpendicular to said rope andsaid axis is parallel to said fingers.

6. A lead connector as dened in claim 2, wherein said fingers aresubstantially parallel to each other and perpendicular to said rope andsaid axis is parallel to said fingers, and wherein one of said ngcrs isdisposed to engage the upper side of said rope and said axis is spacedfrom said one of said ingers in a direction opposite Vfrom the other ofsaid fingers.

7. A lead connector as defined in claim 2, wherein said ngers aresubstantially parallel to each other and perpendicular to said rope andsaid axis is parallel to said lingers and wherein one of said fingers isdisposed to engage the upper side ot said rope and said axis is spacedfrom said one ot said. ngers in a direction opposite from the other ofsaid lingers and is spaced downwardly from the plane of said fingers.

8. A lead connector as deiined in claim 2, wherein said fingers aresubstantially parallel to each other and perpendicular to said rope andsaid axis is parallel to said fingers and wherein one of said lingers isdisposed to engage the upper side of said rope and said axis is spacedfrom said one of said fingers in a direction opposite from the other ofsaid fingers and including a resilient element urging said arm to pivotupwardly in a direction away from said lingers.

9. A lead connector as defined in claim 2, wherein said lingers aredisposed in the same plane and said arm is curved with its free enddisposed substantially in a plane perpendicular to said plane of thengers and through the portion of the lingers adapted to engage the rope.

10. A lead connector as defined in claim 2, wherein said arm is curvedtoward the portion of said lingers adapted to engage said rope so thatfor any given position of pivotal movement of said arm about said axis,the free end of said arm will reach its low point, during pivotalmovement of said connector about said rope, when said fingers aredisposed substantially horizontally.

11. A lead connector as defined in claim 2, wherein the spacing betweensaid fingers is such that in one rotative position of said connector,the connector may be moved toward said rope into, or away from said ropeout of, a position in which said fingers overlie opposite sides of saidrope.

12. A lead connector as defined in claim 2, wherein said fingers haveoppositely facing arcuately shaped portions adapted to engage said ropeand a stop mounted on said fingers for preventing movement of said roperelative to said fingers from said rope engaging portions thereof in adirection toward said connector.

13. A hanger for a ski tow having a main rope supported at a pluralityof points along the course that the skiers are to be moved by the tow,said hanger comprising a supporting bracket open at one side, a pair ot`roller elements mounted for rotation in a common plane about spacedparallel axes and substantially in rolling engagement with each other,the peripheral portions of the rollers being formed of resilientmaterial and having annular mating rope receiving grooves adapted toreceive said main rope, said rolling engagement of said rollers beingexposed at said open one side of said bracket.

14. A hanger as defined in claim 13, and including a guide supported onsaid bracket at said one side thereof and below the level of saidrolling engagement of said roller elements, said guide extendinggenerally at right angles to the plane of said axes and having one endportion deformed toward said common plane of said rolling elements.

15. A hanger as defined in claim 13, and including a second pair ofrollers mounted for rotation about spaced parallel axes disposedparallel to and on opposite sides of the plane of said first namedparallel axes and perpendicular to said first named axes, said secondpair of `rollers being disposed at the elevation of said rollingengagement of said first named rollers and with their peripheriestangent to said common plane,

16. A hanger as defined in claim 13, and including a second pair ofrollers mounted on said bracket and disposed to support a rope receivedin said mating grooves and prevent lateral movement of said rope in onedirection.

17. A hanger as defined in claim 13, and including a second pair ofrollers mounted on said bracket and disposed to support a rope receivedin said mating grooves and prevent lateral movement of said rope in onedirection, each of said second pair of rollers having its outer surfaceformed to define an annular rope receiving groove.

18. A hanger as defined in claim 13, and including a second pair ofrollers mounted on said bracket and disposed to support a rope receivedin said mating grooves and prevent lateral movement of said rope in onedirection, each of said second pair of rollers having a cylindrical ropeengaging outer surface having a substantial axial extent to providelateral support for the rope throughout the limits of its movementaxially of said second pair of rollers.

19. A hanger for a ski tow having a main rope supported at a pluralityof points along the course that the skiers are to be moved by the tow,said hanger comprising an inverted U-shaped bracket, a fixed shaftsupported at its opposite ends on said bracket, a wheel rotatablymounted on said shaft, a fixed cantilever shaft supported on saidbracket in spaced parallel relation to said first named shaft, a secondwheel rotatably mounted on said cantilever shaft and disposed in theplane of said first named wheel, said wheels having resilient `annularperipheral portions having mating annular grooves formed therein adaptedto receive said rope.

20. A hanger for a ski tow having a main rope supported at a pluralityof points along the course that the skiers are to be moved by the tow,said hanger comprising an inverted U-shaped bracket, a fixed shaftsupported at its opposite ends on said bracket, a wheel rotatablymounted on said shaft, a fixed cantilever shaft supported on saidbracket in spaced parallel relation to said first named shaft, a secondwheel rotatably mounted on said cantilever shaft and disposed in theplane of said first named wheel, said wheels having resilient annularperipheral portions having mating annular grooves formed therein adaptedto receive said rope and a guide arm fixed on the outer end of saidcantilever shaft and extending generally perpendicular to the plane ofsaid shafts with an end portion curved toward the plane of said wheelsto extend under a rope supported in said hanger and disposed in saidmating grooves.

21. A ski tow comprising a continuous main rope, means for supportingsaid rope at a plurality of points spaced along its course, means fordriving said rope, a plurality of leads detachably connected to saidmain rope for movement therewith past said points, said leads hat ingportions adapted to be engaged by a skier to be moved up the tow, saidmeans for supporting said rope includr ing a plurality of hangarelements each having a pair of roller elements mounted for rotationabout spaced parallel axes and substantially in rolling engagement witheach other, the peripheral portions of the rollers being formed ofresilient material and having mating rope receiving grooves, and saidleads including fingers extending generally at right angles to said ropeand adapted to extend parallel to the axes of said rollers and movablebetween said rollers While engaging said rope.

22. A ski tow comprising a continuous main rope, means for supportingsaid rope at a plurality of points spaced along its course, means fordriving said rope, a plurality of leads detachably connected to saidmain rope for movement therewith past said points, said leads havingportions adapted to be engaged by a skier to be moved up the tow, saidmeans for supporting said rope including a plurality of hangar elementseach having a pair of roller elements mounted for rotation about spacedparallel axes and substantially in rolling engagement with each other,the peripheral portions of the rollers being formed of resilientmaterial andhaving mating rope receiving grooves, said leads includingfingers extending generally at right angles to said rope and adapted toextend parallel to the axes of said rollers and movable between saidrollers while engaging said rope, and means on each of said hangarelements engageable with said leads to dispose the latter with saidfingers extending substantially parallel with the axes of rotation ofsaid rollers.

23. A ski tow comprising a continuous main rope, means for supportingsaid rope at a plurality of points spaced along its course, means fordriving said rope, a plurality of leads detachably connected to saidmain rope for movement therewith past said points, said leads havingportions adapted to be engaged by a skier to be moved up the tow, saidmeans for supporting said rope including a plurality of pulley wheelsspaced along the rope and said leads including fingers extending atright angles to and engaging said rope and adapted to extendsubstantially parallel to the axis of each of said rollers and movablewith said rope past said rollers while engaging said rope.

24. A ski tow comprising a continuous main rope, means for supportingsaid rope at a plurality of points spaced along its course, means fordriving said rope, a plurality of leads detachably connected to saidmain rope for movement therewith past said points, said leads havingportions adapted to be engaged by a skier to be moved up the tow, eachof said leads including a connector element having spaced fingersadapted to engage said rope at opposite sides thereof at spaced pointstherealong and an arm connected to said element for pivotal movement l labout an axis so spaced from said rope and said ngers that a loadapplied to the free end of said arm produces a couple at the engagementbetween said fingers and said rope effecting a gripping of the latter bythe former.

25. A ski tow comprising a continuous main rope, means for supportingsaid rope at a plurality of points spaced along its course, means fordriving said rope, a plurality of leads detachably connected to saidmain rope for movement therewith past said points, said leads 'navingportions adapted to be engaged by a skier to be moved up the tow, eachof said leads including a connector element having a finger extendingsubstantially at right angles to said rope and overlying and engagingthe upper side of said rope, a second finger parallel to said fingerspaced along said rope from said finger in the direction opposite thedirection of movement of said rope and nnderlying and engaging theunderside of said rope, and an arm connected to said element for pivotalmovement about an axis spaced from said first named finger in theopposite direction.

26. A ski tow comprising a continuous main rope, means for supportingsaid rope at a plurality of points spaced along its course, means fordriving said rope, a plurality of leads detachably connected to saidmain rope for movement therewith past said points, said leads havingportions adapted to be engaged by a skier to be moved up the tow, eachof said leads including a connector element having a finger extendingsubstantially at right angles to said rope and overlying and engagingthe upper side of said rope, a second finger parallel to said 7 fingerspaced along said rope from said nger in the direction opposite thedirection of movement of said rope and underlying and engaging theunderside of said rope, and an arm connected to said element for pivotalmovement about an axis spaced from said first named finger 5' in theopposite direction and spaced below the axis of said rope so that a loadapplied to the free end of said arm parallel to said rope will produce acouple at the engagement between said fingers and said rope to effect agripping of the latter by the former.

27. A ski tow comprising a continuous main rope, means for supportingsaid rope at a plurality of points spaced along its course, means fordriving said rope, a plurality of leads detachably connected to saidmain rope for movement therewith past said points, said leads havingportions adapted to be engaged by a skier to be moved up the tow, cachof said leads including a connector element having spaced fingersmovable to be disposed at opposite sides of the rope and operable uponrotation of the connector element in one direction to grip the rope toprevent movement of the connector longitudinally of the rope, and an armhaving one end pivotally connected to the connector element andeffective when a load is applied to said element through said arm tourge said connector element to turn in said one direction to effect agripping of said rope by said fingers.

28. A tow comprising a continuous main rope, means for Supporting saidrope at a plurality of points spaced along its course7 means for drivingsaid rope, a plurality of leads detachably connected to said main ropefor movement therewith past said points, said leads having portionsadapted to be engaged by a skier to be moved up the tow, each of saidleads including a connector element having spaced fingers adapted toengage said rope at opposite sides thereof and rotatable between a firstposition in which said connector element is movable laterally relativeto said rope for attaching the lead to and removing it from the rope,and a second position in which said eng e said rope tending to kink theiatter and preventing slipping of the connector element iongitudinailyof the rope, and an arm pivotally connected to said connector' elementfor urging it toward said second position.

29. A ski tow comprising a continuous main rope,

`leans for supporting said rope at a plurality of points sil spacedalong its course, means for driving said rope, a plurality of leadsdetachably connected to said main rope for movement therewith past saidpoints, said leads having portions adapted to be engaged by a skier tobe moved up the tow, each of said leads including a connector elementhaving spaced fingers adapted to engage said rope at opposite sidesthereof and rotatable between a rst position in which said connectorelement is movable laterally relative to said rope for attaching thelead to and removing it from the rope, and a second position in whichsaid fingers engage said rope tending to kinkthe latter and preventingslipping of the connector element longitudinally of the rope, and an armpivotally connected to said connector element for urging it toward saidsecond position, and including means for automatically rotating saidconnector elements to said first position and moving them laterally awayfrom said rope to detach said leads from said rope.

30. A ski tow comprising a continuous main rope, means for supportingsaid rope at a plurality of points spaced along its course, means fordriving said rope, a plurality of leads detachably connected to saidmain rope for movement therewith past said points, said leads havingportions adapted to be engaged by a skier to be moved up the tow, eachof said leads including a connector element having spaced fingersadapted to engage said rope at opposite sides thereof and rotatablebetween a first position in which said connector element is movablelaterally relative to said rope for attaching the lead to and removingit from the rope, and a second position in which said fingers engagesaid rope tending to kink the latter and preventing slipping of theconnector element longitudinaliy of the rope, and an arm pivotallyconiected to said connector element for urging it toward said secondposition, and including means for automatically rotating said connectorelements to said first position and moving them laterally away from saidrope to detach said leads from said rope, said last named meanscomprising means defining a guide passage and a guide follower carriedby said connector element movable along said passage, said passageincluding a portion coopcrable with said guide follower upon movement ofthe latter therealong to pivot said connector element to said firstposition, and a second portion co-operable with said guide follower uponmovement of the latter therealong to move the connector elementlaterally away from said rope.

3l. A ski tow comprising a continuous main rope, means for supportingsaid rope at a plurality of points spaced along its course, means fordriving said rope, a plurality of leads detachably connected to saidmain rope for movement therewith past said points, said leads havingportions adapted to be engaged by a skier to be moved up the tow, eachof said leads including a connector element having spaced fingersadapted to engage said rope at opposite sides thereof and rotatablebetween a first position in which said connector element is movablelaterally relative to said rope for attaching the lead to and removingit from the rope, and a second position in which said fingers engagesaid rope tending to kink the latter and preventing slipping of theconnector ele-l ment longitudinally of the rope, and an arm pivotallyconnected to said connector element for urging it toward said secondposition, and including means disposed along the return course of therope adjacent said means for driving the rope for automatically removingsaid leads from said rope and comprising a ball mounted on a rod securedto said connector element and disposed above said fingers and spacedalong said connector element in the direction of movement of said ropefrom said lingers, and a tube of an internal diameter to freely receivesaid ball and having a slot at its bottom through which said rod maypass freely, said tube having a first portion extending along said ropein position to receive said ball in the open end thereof as saidconnector element is carried along said rope and curving upwardly awayfrom the rope for co-operating with said ball to rotate said connectorelement to said first position, and said tube having a second portioncurving laterally away from said rope for co-operating with said ball tomove said con` nector element laterally away from the rope to detach ittherefrom. 4

32. A ski tow comprising a continuous main rope, means for engaging andsupporting said rope at a plurality of points spaced along its course,means for driving said rope, a plurality of leads detachably connectedto said main rope for movement therewith past said points, each of saidleads including a portion adapted upon movement of the lead past one ofsaid points to move between said means and a portion of the rope engagedthereby, each of said leads also being movable relative to said ropebetween a first position in which it firmly grips said rope for movementtherewith and a second position in which it is disengaged from saidrope, said leads having portions adapted to be engaged by a skier to bemoved up the tow.

33. A ski tow comprising a continuous main rope, means for supportingsaid rope at a plurality of points spaced along its course, means fordriving said rope, a plurality of leads detachably connected to saidmain rope for movement therewith past said points, each of said leadsbeing movable relative to said rope between a first References Cited inthe tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 888,439 Hibbard May 19,1908 1,728,611 Jennings Sept. 17 1929 1,945,754 Peebles Feb. 6, 19342,087,232 Constam July 20, 1937 2,116,226 Vogel May 3, 1938 2,230,024Bonquet Ian. 28, 1941 2,285,636 Wallace June 9, 1942 2,340,868 Dye Feb.8, 1944 2,458,786 Lagergren Jan. 11, 1949 2,548,800 Judson Apr. 10, 1951FOREIGN PATENTS 413,107 France May 19, 1910

